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Points from the Pastor’s Pen
Finding or discovering “Resentment,” seldom do we intentionally go searching for or seeking resentment, or things which disturb and bother us. Normally we go about our daily and weekly routines hoping that nothing or few events or circumstances will intrude upon us that bring with them or drive us to resentment.
I guardedly offer that in sitting and participating in worship, which is understood to be a participatory event, and experience, you have very rarely been moved to a sense of pure resentment. I fully realize that there may be times, situations and circumstances when one is agitated, maybe even greatly bothered by words and or actions that were presented or offered as worship to and of God. But such events should be few, given the vetting requirements one must engage in our licensing and ordination process, for those who lead our worship.
Accordingly in the UMC hymnal on page 2, the basic pattern of worship denotes in the “Basic Pattern of Worship,” just three essential patterns, when “Thanksgiving and Communion,” are not to be celebrated. What we have expressed on that page are the following “Entrance, Proclamation and Response then Sending Forth.”
The people gather in the Lord’s name, the Scriptures are read, preaching, witnessing…Responses to God’s Word include acts of commitment and faith, offerings of concerns, prayers, gifts and service. Lastly the people are sent into ministry with the Lord’s blessing. Again, fairly straightforward and basic, but being ill-prepared, or unprepared one can mess up a worship experience.
At those rare moments and occurrences when you have found yourself bothered, agitated, or resentful of a worship experience, was the deep true issue one of style, or personal preference? It is easy to get sidetracked, especially if your mission, goal and or vision for worship, does not align with that of God, after all it is God’s church.
The mission of God has never changed. Even before Adam’s fall, God’s missional priority included the redemption of humanity. As “the lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8, KJV), Jesus portrayed missio Dei — the mission of God — to and for lost humanity.
Rick Warren in his book, “The Purpose Driven Life,” states; “It is not about you, it is about God.” Such words are hard for us to hear and accept, after all we feel and live knowing it is about us, our lives, our feelings, frustrations, challenges, hurts and at times our fears. Thrown into this extenuating mix, is how we both approach and understand our worship of God. Is there right or wrong way to worship? Simple answer, yes!
When Jesus encountered the Samaritan women at the well, before he commissioned her to go preach to her community that had ostracized her, their conversation touched on true worship. She spoke on the style and tradition of her worship, after listening and hearing her, Jesus spoke these words that I offer to you today, and going forward when you may become resentful, bothered, or agitated by alternative styles and or options of worship. Again, words spoken about worship from Christ Jesus;
“…the hour is coming, and now is here, when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship Him. “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”(John 4: 23-24)
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